D-day for Hibs in bid to delay Neil Lennon’s SFA hearing

MOIRA GORDON

Hibernian will find out today if they have been successful in lobbying to have the date of Neil Lennon’s disciplinary hearing pushed back.

The Easter Road manager, who has been cited along with his Morton counterpart Jim Duffy and Cappielow assistant manager Craig McPherson, as well as both clubs, will have to answer to three SFA misconduct charges for his part the flare-up near the end of the match between Hibs and the Greenock side at Easter Road last month.

The date of the hearing has been set for 20 April but Lennon argues that travelling to Hampden next Thursday will encroach on the club’s Scottish Cup semi-final preparations, which he believes would be unfair.

Hibs face Aberdeen two days after the hearing and the club hope that the SFA will agree to allow Morton to state their case on the arranged date but postpone Hibs’ disciplinary procedure until after the cup holders have faced Derek McInnes’ men.

Lennon and Duffy were sent to the stand as tempers flared near the end of the Championship clash on 29 March, which ended 0-0. Both managers were issued a notice of complaint by the Scottish FA’s compliance officer.